PILGRIM HOSTEL IN VLADIMIR

On the way to Moscow along the Trans-Mongolian we made a short stop to Vladimir, which at one time was the ancient capital of Russia. The small city didn’t seem to have many hostel options, so we booked with what we managed to find: Pilgrim Hostel.

When we arrived we found out that it was in the same building as an Evangelical Church and was managed by them as well. Our stay reminded me of home as a student living in a BYU-standard living apartment–with no smoking or drinking allowed, which is unusual for a hostel. Also, on one of the afternoons we were surprised to see a wedding ceremony taking place in the front yard. Here’s how Pilgrim Hostel ranked during our stay:

Private Room:

The private room was spacious with two twin beds, a desk and chair, and large windows. The hostel has only two other bedrooms, which were separate male and female dorm rooms. It was by far one of the largest private rooms we’ve stayed in at a hostel and was nice and cool with the windows open. The private room is located right next to the entrance of the hostel, which opens out to the interior stairwell in the building. Because of this, we could hear footsteps in the stairwell and those entering the hostel. It was especially loud because of the wedding party and many of those at the wedding were staying the hostel. We think the loudness that evening was a rare occassion as the other night we stayed there was very quiet.

Amenities:

The communal kitchen was well-stocked with pots and pans, eating utensils, and a kettle. It also offered free coffee and tea each morning. The commons room had a couch and TV, and a bookcase full of DVDs, books and board games. There was a laundry machine where hostel workers did our laundry at 100 rubles per load. There was only one bathroom and the shower was in the same room as the laundry machine. So we usually had to wait and find the right time to take a shower when no one else was using it. We really liked the hostel’s interior artwork on the doors and some walls that was painted by a member of their congregation. Wifi was readily available throughout the hostel, including in our room.

Pricing:

For a private room, we paid 2800 rubles total for two nights. It was a very great price for us and provided all the amenities we needed. There are not many options for hostels in Vladimir so we were glad to see that this place was reasonable since we wanted to stay more than a day-trip from Moscow.

Location:

It was far from the train station to Pilgrim Hostel so we had to take a bus there. We didn’t have to wait long for the minibus to pick us up. Once on the bus it took about 15 minutes to get to our hostel. When we went out to visit the cathedrals downtown, it took us about half a hour to get there by walking. The neighborhood surrounding the hostel was very quiet and off from any busy streets. It was also close to a supermarket, just a five minute walk away.

Next hostel on our route: RUSSIAN DREAM HOTEL IN MOSCOW, RUSSIA… unfortunately.